Extension device for wrist-watch straps



March 17,1931. LE N 1,796,341

EXTENSION DEVICE FOR WRIST WATCH STRAPS Filed May 18. 1929 IN VEN TOR.

' La nce E. Gtten I 4/4 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAVJRENCE F. OTTEN, OF FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE WADSWORTH WATCH. CASE COMPANY, OF DAYTON, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY EXTENSION DEVICE FOR WRIST-WATCH STRAPS Application filed May 18, 1929.

The present invention relates to a foldable extension link member for wrist watch straps which is adapted-to be unfolded to extend the length of the strap and to permit its free passage over the hand of the wearer and then folded to take up the slack of the strap and cause it to fit closely about the wrist when positioned thereon.

A further object of this invention is to pro vide an extensible link member for wrist straps which, when folded upon the wrist, has its upper surface entirely concealed from view by the strap or band passing thereover.

Still further objects of this invention are the construction of the foldable link member to reduce its thickness to a minimum Without impairing its structural strength; to so construct the foldable link that no part thereof extends beyond the width of the band to which it is attached; to provide simple means for holding the foldable member in folded position; to provide simple means forunfolding said foldable member and to construct said foldable member with a minimum number of parts which, when assembled, is neat, compact, durable and which can be folded or unfolded with the utmost ease.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The invention consists in the construction, combination, location and arrangement of parts as herein fully set forth and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wrist watch and a wrist watch strap, shown by dotted lines, embodying the present invention which is shown by full lines;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the invention in folded or closed position with a portion of the wrist strap shown attached thereto;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the pivotal joint between the two sections of the fo-ldable mem ber, taken on a plane corresponding to line 33 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 4: is a transverse cross section on the line H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse cross section taken on the line 55of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse cross section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Serial No. 364,083.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View showing one section of the foldable link member and the manner in which it is attached to one end of the wrist strap;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the other section of the foldable link member also showing the manner in which it is attached to the other end of the wrist strap;

Fig. 9 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing the catch element for the foldable link sections on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a leather strap showing a modified form for attaching a strap or like band to the improved foldable link member; and

Fig. 11 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the invention slightly open.

In the embodiment of the present invention as illustrated and which shows a preferred construction I provide a foldable extension link member composed of sections 1 and 2, section 1 being pivotally attached to strap member 3 and section 2 being pivotally attached to one end of strap member 4-.

As shown in the drawings, the strap members 3 and 4 are illustrated as flexible mesh, but it is to be understood that the material used for the strap members can be varied, as, for example, they may be made of leather, fabric, metal, or other suitable material. As shown in Fig. 8, section 1 is made of metal and slightly curved, the end 5 being tapered, the purpose of which will be explained in detail later on. The end 6 of said section has a tube or sleeve 7 soldered, or otherwise attached thereto, and tube 8 is suitably secured thereto near the end 5, which tube 8 is pierced intermediate its ends and bent outwardly to form thumb lift 9. If the strap member 3 be mesh, as shown, the end link 3a is provided with short tubes or bearing members 35 which are soldered or otherwise securely fixed thereto and spaced apart from each other sufliciently so as to straddle the tube 8, whereupon when said tubes or bearing members 36 are brought into alinement with tube 8, a pin 10 can be passed through said bearing members 36 and tube 8 to pivotally attach the strap member 3 to section 1. Section 2 is also curved to correspond with section 1 and the edges thereof are bent upwardly, downwardly and inwardlyto form spaced apart walls or margins 2a, thereby forming a channel 2?) within which the section 1 is received when the foldable link member is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 1. Short tubes 20 are soldered or otherwise attached at one end of section 2 in spaced apart relation, as shown in Fig. 7, and short tubes 2d are soldered upon the upper surface of margins 2a in spaced apart relation. The short tubes 20, when brought into alinement with tube or sleeve 7, carried by section 1, are adapted to be pivotally attached to said tube 7 by passing pin 11 through said short tubes 20 and tubes 7, thereby pivotally connecting end 6, of section 1, to end 12, of section 2. The short tubes 26!, when brought into .alinement with tube 13 (said tube 13 being soldered or otherwise rigidly attached to link is of strap member 4) are adapted to receive pin 14, which pin pivotally connects one end of the strap member 1 to end 15 of section 2.

Thus it will be seen that one end of strap member 3 is pivotally attached to end 5 of section 1 and one end of strap member 4; is pivotally attached to end 15 of section 2, and said sections are pivotally attached to each other by virtue of the pin 11. hen section 1 is folded within channel 25, of section 2, the tapering end 5 of section 1 is adapted to frictionally engage and snap past tube 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, thereby removably or detachably holding said section 1 within channel 2?) of section 2. lVhen it is desired to unfold sections 1 and 2, respectively, it is merely necessary to place the thumb nail beneath thumb lift 9 and pull outwardly until the tapered end 5 of section 1 snaps past tube 13, whereupon section 1 may be swung outwardly and away from section 2 upon the pivot pin 11 to lengthen or increase the opening area within strap members 3 and 4:. Nhen the sections 1 and 2 are folded, as shown in Fig. 1, the upper surface of said sections is entirely concealed by the strap members 3 and 4, thereby creating the appearance of a solid strap, which, in reality, is an extensible strap. If a leather strap is substituted for the link mesh, short tubes 3?) can be soldered to a metal clip 14, which clip may be provided with inturned teeth 15 to grip the leather strap 16 and thus hold the short tubes 35 upon said strap (see Fig. 10).

In operation, in order to place the strap members 3 and 4 about the wrist, simply insert the thumb beneath the thumb lift 9 and pull outwardly, thus disengaging the tapered end 5 of section 1 from holding engagement with tube 13, whereupon said section 1 may be easily swung outwardly upon the pivot pin 11 and thus lengthen the opening within the strap members 3 and 1. \Vith the strap thus lengthened, it may be placed over the hand and upon the wrist,

whereupon the section 1 can be pushed inwardly towards section 2 until it fits within the channel 26 of section 2, whereupon the tapered end 5 of section 1 can be easily snapped past tube 13, due to the spring of the material from which said section is made, thus holding the section 1 in nested position within the channel 2?) of section 2 and causing the strap members 3 and 4 to be drawn snugly about the wrist of the wearer.

An advantage of this invention, as shown in Fig. 1, is that the folding parts are carried beneath the strap member 3, or, in other words, between said strap member 3 and the wrist of the wearer, thereby almost concealing said member from view when in closed position about the wrist. This not only gives a neat appearance to the wrist strap or band when in use upon the wrist, but gives it the appearance of being all in one piece without any parts protruding beyond the edge of said strap members.

While I have shown and described my improved extension device as applied to mesh strap members, it is to be understood that by modifying the connection between the extension device and the strap members, other strap members, such as metal bands, leather straps. or fabric straps can be used without departing from the scope or spirit thereof as defined in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bracelet, including an extensible section, comprising an inner member and an outer resilient member hinged thereto and adapted to be folded thereon, the outer member being shorter than the inner member, means on one end of the flexible portion of the bracelet attaching it to the outer side of the inner member adjacent its free end, means on the other end of said bracelet attaching it to the. outer side of the resilient member away from, but near to, its free end whereby the free end of the outer resilient member will yieldingly engage and disensaid first-mentioned means, as desired, so that when the folding members are in closed superposed relation the ends of the flexible members meet in longitudinal alinement and thereby completely cover the folding section whereby a neat and compact eX- tensible bracelet is produced.

2. In combination, a wrist watch strap or bracelet, an extension device comprising two metal members pivotally joined together at one end, one member having its longitudinal edges folded upwardly and inwardly upon itself and forming a channel therebetween and the other member, when in closed position, fitting in said channel flush with said folded edges, a pair of spaced apart alined bearing tubes on the outer side of said channel member, said bracelet having on one end a bearing tube adapted to fit between and in alinement with said spaced apart bearing tubes, a pivot pin mounted in said tubes, a bearing tube mounted upon the upper side of the outer member adjacent its free end, a pair of spaced apart bearing tubes on the other end of said bracelet and adapted to receive therebetween said bearing tube on the free end of said last-mentioned member, a pivot pin mounted in said last-mentioned bearing tubes whereby when said members are in closed position the ends of said brace let are in longitudinal alinement with each other and completely cover the upper surface of said extension device.

LAWRENCE F. OTTEN. 

